Flooring panels with slidable edge joints

ABSTRACT

A flooring system includes a plurality of rectangular flooring panels, the flooring panels individually including a core comprising two long edges, and two short edges with interlocking joints formed at the short edges. The interlocking joints are shaped to prevent flooring panels that are joined at the short edges from sliding apart. The long edges do not include interlocking joints.

FIELD

This invention relates to flooring and more particularly relates toflooring panels with slidable edge joints.

BACKGROUND

Various types of flooring include rectangular panels. Some flooringpanels may have straight edges on all four sides, and may be glued downto a subfloor or underlayment to hold the flooring panels in place.However, gluing down individual floor panels may increase the cost andtime of flooring installation, and the difficulty of removal. Othertypes of floor panels may include interlocking joints on all four sides,so that the joints hold floor panels in place relative to surroundingfloor panels. However, the nature of interlocking joints may makeinstallation difficult in confined spaces, such as near walls orcabinets, and may complicate replacement of damaged floor panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readilyunderstood, a more particular description of the invention brieflydescribed above will be rendered by reference to specific embodimentsthat are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are nottherefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the inventionwill be described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a flooring system, in one embodiment, in theprocess of installing a flooring panel short edge first;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a flooring system, in one embodiment, in theprocess of installing a flooring panel long edge first;

FIG. 3 is a cross section view of one embodiment of a flooring panel;

FIG. 4 is a side view of one embodiment of an interlocking joint betweenflooring panels in one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an upper half of the interlocking joint of FIG.4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a lower half of the interlocking joint of FIG.4;

FIG. 7 is an end view of one embodiment of a tongue and groove joint;and

FIG. 8 is a cross section end view of one embodiment of a replacementflooring panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases“in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughoutthis specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the sameembodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unlessexpressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,”“having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to”unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of itemsdoes not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusiveand/or mutually inclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. Theterms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics ofthe invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details areincluded to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of theinvention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, thatthe invention may be practiced without one or more of the specificdetails, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. Inother instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are notshown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of theinvention.

The schematic flow chart diagrams included herein are generally setforth as logical flow chart diagrams. As such, the depicted order andlabeled steps are indicative of one embodiment of the presented method.Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent infunction, logic, or effect to one or more steps, or portions thereof, ofthe illustrated method. Additionally, the format and symbols employedare provided to explain the logical steps of the method and areunderstood not to limit the scope of the method. Although various arrowtypes and line types may be employed in the flow chart diagrams, theyare understood not to limit the scope of the corresponding method.Indeed, some arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only thelogical flow of the method. For instance, an arrow may indicate awaiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between enumeratedsteps of the depicted method. Additionally, the order in which aparticular method occurs may or may not strictly adhere to the order ofthe corresponding steps shown.

As used herein, a list with a conjunction of “and/or” includes anysingle item in the list or a combination of items in the list. Forexample, a list of A, B and/or C includes only A, only B, only C, acombination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A andC or a combination of A, B and C. As used herein, a list using theterminology “one or more of” includes any single item in the list or acombination of items in the list. For example, one or more of A, B and Cincludes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combinationof B and C, a combination of A and C or a combination of A, B and C. Asused herein, a list using the terminology “one of includes one and onlyone of any single item in the list. For example, “one of A, B and C”includes only A, only B or only C and excludes combinations of A, B andC. As used herein, “a member selected from the group consisting of A, B,and C,” includes one and only one of A, B, or C, and excludescombinations of A, B, and C.” As used herein, “a member selected fromthe group consisting of A, B, and C and combinations thereof” includesonly A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B andC, a combination of A and C or a combination of A, B and C.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a flooring system 100, in one embodiment, in theprocess of installing a flooring panel 104 short edge first. In thedepicted embodiment, a flooring system 100 includes a plurality ofrectangular flooring panels 104 (including panels 104 a, 104 b). FIG. 1depicts a top view of the system 100 in the process of being installedin a space 102 indicated by a bold line. Although a rectangular space102 is depicted, flooring panels 104 may be installed in a variety ofspaces such as rooms, hallways, stairways, and the like.

In general, in various embodiments, flooring panels 104 are installededge to edge on a sub-floor or underlayment, so that the flooring panels104 form a unified floor that substantially covers the subfloor. (Smallgaps at the perimeter of the space 102 may be covered by baseboards).The flooring panels 104 are rectangular, with two long edges and twoshort edges, and are installed in rows 106, so that flooring panels 104are joined short edge to short edge within a row 106, and long edge tolong edge between rows 106.

In some embodiments, flooring panels 104 at the perimeter of the space(e.g., in a first row, in first and last rows, at ends of rows, or thelike) may be affixed to the subfloor or underlayment by gluing, staplingor the like. In some embodiments, the plurality of flooring panels 104may be glued or stapled down. In some embodiments, some of the flooringpanels 104 may be “floating” flooring panels 104 that are not affixeddirectly to the subfloor or underlayment, but that are coupled toadjacent flooring panels 104. For example, in some embodiments, flooringpanels 104 at the perimeter of the space 102 may be glued or stapleddown, and other flooring panels 104 may be “floating.”

However, one problem that may occur with “floating” floors is thatflooring panels 104 are subject to significant horizontal forces whenpeople walk on the floor, move furniture, or the like. Under sufficientforce, a flooring panel 104 may move out of place. and may move.Anti-slip backing may be provided to reduce the tendency of flooringpanels 104 to move out of place, but even with anti-slip backing andperimeter flooring panels 104 glued or stapled down, some flooringpanels 104 may move horizontally, causing gaps between adjacent flooringpanels 104, and especially between short edges of adjacent flooringpanels 104. Such gaps may be unacceptable to users, and may be difficultto repair.

In some flooring systems 100, joints between adjacent panels 104 maycouple flooring panels together allowing one or more of the flooringpanels 104 to “float” instead of being glued or stapled down. However,some joints such as tongue and groove joints do not prevent flooringpanels 104 from separating and causing gaps. By contrast, other types ofinterlocking joints (e.g., for “click lock” flooring” may resist motionof the joined panels 104 apart from each other, but may be difficult toinstall. For example, if installation requires inserting a panel 104 atan angle, before lowering the raised side of the panel 104 to the floor,it may be difficult to install panels in tight spaces, such as nearcabinets or walls.

Accordingly, as described below, various embodiments of a flooringsystem 100 may include panels 104 with interlocking joints formed at theshort edges, to prevent panels 104 from moving apart, but where the longedges of the panels 104 do not include interlocking joints.

The term “joint” as used herein, can refer to a coupling betweenadjacent panels 104, or to the features or structures on either of theadjacent panels that are involved in the coupling. Thus, connecting twopanels together may be referred to as forming a joint between two panels104, but an individual panel 104 may also be described as having ajoint, where that panel 104 includes features or structures for couplingthat panel 104 to another panel 104. For example, in a tongue and groovejoint, the term “joint” may be used with reference to the tongue on onepanel 104, the groove on another panel 104, or the assembly of a tonguecoupled to a groove.

Directional terms, as used herein, such as “vertical,” “horizontal,”“upper,” “lower,” and the like, refer to the orientation of flooringpanels 104 as installed in a floor. For example, a “vertical” directionis perpendicular to the plane of the floor, a “horizontal direction” isparallel to the plane of the floor, and an “upper” surface of a flooringpanel is visible when the panel is installed in the floor. However, suchterms are not used to imply absolute positions. For example, prior toinstallation in a floor, a flooring panel may be transported, stored, orthe like in any orientation, such as with the upper surface facing down,but the same surface may still be referred to as the “upper” surface.

In some embodiments, a flooring system 100 may include flooring panels104 with interlocking joints on short edges, and with non-interlockingjoints on long edges. For example, non-interlocking joints may includebutt joints (straight edges), rabbet joints, tongue and groove joints,or the like. In various embodiments, providing interlocking joints onshort edges instead of on all four edges may prevent gaps between shortedges while facilitating installation.

FIGS. 1 and 2 depict similar flooring systems 100, 200, includingflooring panels 104 installed in a space 102 in rows 106, as describedabove. FIGS. 1 and 2 are intended to depict the general rectangularshape of floor panels 104 without implying specific dimensions orratios. For example, floor panels 104 may be more square than depicted,more elongated than depicted, wider or narrower relative to a space 102,or the like. Similarly, offsets between rows 106 may be greater thandepicted, less than depicted, non-uniform, or the like, or panels 104may be of uniform or non-uniform lengths.

FIG. 1 depicts the system 100 in the process of installing a flooringpanel 104 a short edge first. The flooring panel 104 a is lowered downvertically to the floor, so that the short edge of panel 104 a engagesthe short edge of panel 104 b in the same row. Panel 104 a can then beslid in the direction indicated by the arrow, along its short edge,until the long edge of panel 104 a contacts the previously-laid row 106.

FIG. 2 depicts a system 200 in the process of installing a flooringpanel 104 a long edge first. The flooring panel 104 a is placed on thefloor and positioned so that the long edge of panel 104 a engages thepreviously-laid row 106. Panel 104 a can then be slid in the directionindicated by the arrow, along it's long edge, until the short edge ofthe panel 104 a interlocks with the short edge of panel 104 b in thesame row. Panels 104 and joints between panels 104 are described infurther detail below with reference to FIGS. 3-8.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross section view of a flooring panel 300, which maybe substantially similar to the flooring panels 104 described above. Inthe depicted embodiment, the flooring panel 300 includes one or morelayers, including at least a core 304. Layers indicated by dashed linesin FIG. 3 are optional layers, which may be included in some embodimentsor omitted in other embodiments.

A core 304, in one embodiment, is a layer that either forms the flooringpanel 300 for single-layer panels 300, or that acts as a substrate forother layers for multi-layer panels 300. A core 304, in variousembodiments, may include vinyl material, stone plastic compositematerial, magnesium oxide material, engineered hardwood material (e.g.,layers of wood), wood polymer composite material, or the like.

In some embodiments, one or more upper layers 302 may be disposed abovethe core. For example, upper layers 302 may include a design layer witha visible design, a wear-resistant layer, and/or anultraviolet-resistant layer. Various other or further upper layers 302may be included in a floor panel 304.

In some embodiments, one or more lower layers 306 may be disposed belowthe core. For example, lower layers 306 may include a sound-absorbinglayer. Various other or further lower layers 306 may be included in afloor panel 304. In the depicted embodiment, an anti-slip layer 308 isdisposed beneath the core 304 (and any other lower layer 306). Providingan anti-slip layer 308 may prevent or mitigate formation of gaps betweenadjacent panels 300. Various types of anti-slip material used forvarious types of flooring may be used as an anti-slip layer 308 for aflooring panel 300.

FIG. 3 is intended to depict relationships between layers of a flooringpanel 300, not the actual thicknesses of layers. A core 304 and variousupper and lower layers 302, 306 may be thinner or thicker than depicted.

The core 304, in various embodiment, may support other layers, and mayhave substantially the same rectangular shape as the overall floor panel300, with two long edges and two short edges. As described above,interlocking edges may be formed at the short edges, while the longedges do not include interlocking joints. Interlocking andnon-interlocking joints are described in further detail below withreference to FIGS. 4-7.

FIGS. 4-6 depict side views of one embodiment of an interlocking joint400, including an upper half 402 and a lower half 404. FIG. 4 depictsthe joint once formed between adjacent flooring panels. FIG. 5 depictsthe upper half 402, formed in one flooring panel, while FIG. 6 depictsthe lower half 404, formed in another flooring panel. In someembodiments, flooring panels may be formed with the upper half 402 of aninterlocking joint 400 at one end, and the lower half 404 of aninterlocking joint 400 at another end.

The depicted embodiment of an interlocking joint 400 is provided as oneexample. Various other or further interlocking joints may be consistentwith this disclosure. Additionally, dimensions in millimeters (mm) andangles in degrees are provided in FIGS. 5 and 6 for illustrativepurposes, and are not intended as limiting. A person of skill in the artwill recognize where dimensions, angles, or shapes may be changed, withcorresponding changes made to both halves 402, 404, while preserving theinterlocking nature of the joint 400. For example, the overlap betweenflooring panels may be shorter or longer than depicted, in variousembodiments. Similarly, various additional features such as a bevelbetween flooring panels may be included or omitted in variousembodiments.

FIG. 4 depicts the interlocking joint 400 between short edges ofadjacent flooring panels. Wavy, dashed lines in FIG. 4 and subsequentfigures indicate that portions of the panels further from the joint arenot depicted in the Figure.

In some embodiments, an interlocking joint 400 may be any joint shapedto prevent flooring panels that are joined at an interlocking joint fromsliding apart. For example, referring to FIG. 4, it may be seen that thejoint 400 between panels may be disengaged by moving one of the panelsin a vertical direction, but not by sliding the panels horizontallyapart. Rather, the joint 400 prevents one panel from moving horizontallyaway from the other panel.

A flooring panel may be laid in a row with a lower half 404 of a joint400 at the end where the row will be continued. The next flooring panelin the row may be laid so that the upper half 402 of the joint 400, inthat flooring panel, overlaps the lower half 404 of the joint 400, inthe previously-laid panel. After lowering the short edge of the newpanel (with the upper half 402 of the joint 400) in a vertical directiononto the short edge of the previously-laid panel in the same row (withthe lower half 404 of the joint 400), the joint 400 is engaged. The newpanel may then be slid horizontally so that a long edge of the new panelcontacts a previously laid row of panels.

Alternatively, a new panel to be added to a row may be put in place witha long edge of the new panel contacting the previously laid row ofpanels, and the panel may then be slid horizontally until the short edgeof the new panel (with the upper half 402 of the joint 400) couples tothe short edge of a previously-laid panel in the same row (with thelower half 404 of the joint 400).

In the depicted embodiment, the interlocking joint 400 is shaped topermit up to 0.1 millimeter (mm) of movement between floor panels thatare joined at short edges. A gap 406 in the joint 400, between the upperhalf 402 and the lower half 404, permits a small amount of movement.Such a gap 406 may provide a small amount of tolerance to changingconditions such as heat or humidity. A gap 406 may also facilitatesliding of flooring panels into place, either by engaging the joint 400at the short edges first and sliding the long edge into place (as inFIG. 1) or by placing the long edge first and sliding a panel along thelong edge until the joint 400 engages (as in FIG. 2). In someembodiments, tolerances may be tighter or looser. For example, a gap 406may permit up to 0.09 mm of movement, up to 0.08 mm of movement, up to0.11 mm of movement, up to 0.12 mm of movement, or the like. Bycontrast, interlocking joints without a gap 406, or with significantlytighter tolerances, may not allow flooring panels to slide into place,or may require an installer to angle flooring panels into place toengage the joint 400.

Referring to FIG. 5, the upper half 402 of the joint 400 includes afirst portion 512 and a second portion 514, where the first portion 512is thicker than the second portion 514, and is closer to the edge of theflooring panel (at the left of the drawing) than the second portion 514.Thus, the first portion 512 forms a lobe, and a recess 516 is formednear the narrower second portion 514.

Referring to FIG. 6, the lower half 404 of the joint 400 similarlyincludes a first portion 612 and a second portion 614, where the firstportion 612 is thicker than the second portion 614, and is closer to theedge of the flooring panel (at the right of the drawing) than the secondportion 614. Thus, the first portion 612 forms a lobe, and a recess 616is formed near the narrower second portion 614. Accordingly, when thejoint 400 is engaged the lobes 512, 612 on each half 402, 404 of thejoint 400 engage the recesses 616, 516 in the opposite half. A slightundercut or hook in the joint prevents the joint 400 from slipping apartor pushing the upper half 402 up under a horizontal force that wouldotherwise move the halves 402, 404 apart. In the depicted embodiment,the undercut is 5 degrees, but an undercut may be steeper or shallowerin another embodiment.

In the depicted embodiment, the gap 406 and the shallow undercut allowthe joint to be engaged by moving the upper half 402 straight down ontothe lower half 404, without additional vertical force beyond the weightof a flooring panel. The interlocking joint 400 engages without verticalforce or with no more vertical force than the weight of the panels, andthus does not require additional vertical force, such as tapping with amallet, to engage two panels together. One panel may be lowered ontoanother panel in the same row with short ends overlapping at the joint400, then slid horizontally along the interlocking joint 400 until thetongue and groove joint along the long edge engages with panel(s) in anadjacent row. Alternatively, a panel may be installed by first engagingthe tongue and groove joint along the long edge with panel(s) in anadjacent row, then sliding the panel along the tongue and groove jointto interlocking joint 400 with a panel in the same row (with a smallvertical motion as the interlocking joint 400 engages).

Although some forms of flooring require an installer to angle a panel tohook one interlocking edge under another interlocking edge, flooringpanels with the joints 400 formed as disclosed herein can be maintainedin a horizontal orientation during installation, thus facilitatinginstallation in tight spaces such as near walls, cabinets, or doorways.

FIG. 7 depicts a tongue and grove joint 700. In some embodiments,flooring panels may include tongue and groove joints 700 formed at thelong edges of the flooring panels. In FIG. 7, panels are depicted in anend view, so that the shape of the tongue and groove joint 700 along thelong edges is visible. A tongue 702 in one panel engages a groove 704 inanother panel. Unlike the interlocking joint 400 described above, atongue and groove joint 700 does not prevent edges from sliding apart.However, both the interlocking joint 400 and a tongue and groove joint700 couple adjacent panels, allowing some panels to “float” rather thanbeing glued or stapled down. Combining tongue and groove joints 700 withinterlocking joints 400, as disclosed herein, prevents separation thatmay happen between short ends of panels in high-traffic areas, withoutthe installation problems that may be associated with other forms ofjoints.

FIG. 8 depicts a cross section end view of a replacement flooring panel800 for a flooring system 100. In various embodiments, if a flooringpanel is damaged, but is coupled to adjacent flooring panels in a floor,it may be difficult to remove and replace the damaged panel withoutremoving several other panels. Destruction of the damaged panel mayallow it to be removed in pieces, but the joints to adjacent panels onall four sides may make it difficult to install an identicalreplacement. Thus, in the depicted embodiment, a replacement panel 800includes interlocking joints 400 at the short ends of a core, asdescribed above, but without full tongue and groove joints 700 at thelong ends. The interlocking joints 400 are not visible in the crosssection of FIG. 8.

Rather than full tongue-and groove joints 700, the replacement panel 800includes an extension 802 along one of the long edges of the replacementpanel. The replacement panel 800 also includes an undercut portion 804along the other long edge. The extension 802 covers the tongue 702 of anadjacent panel, while the undercut portion 804 covers the groove 704 ofanother adjacent panel. In another embodiment, the extension 802 is astandard tongue and groove configuration with extensions 802 on morethan a single side of the tongue 702.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A flooring system comprising: a plurality ofrectangular flooring panels, the flooring panels individuallycomprising: a core comprising two long edges, and two short edges; andinterlocking joints formed at the short edges, the interlocking jointsshaped to prevent flooring panels that are joined at short edges fromsliding apart, wherein the long edges do not include interlockingjoints.
 2. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the flooring panelsindividually comprise tongue and groove joints formed at the long edges.3. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the core comprises one ormore of: vinyl material, stone plastic composite material, magnesiumoxide material, engineered hardwood material, and wood polymer compositematerial.
 4. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the interlockingjoints are shaped to engage by lowering a short edge of a first panel,in a vertical direction, onto a short edge of a second panel in the samerow as the first panel.
 5. The flooring system of claim 4, wherein theinterlocking joints are further shaped to permit sliding the first panelso that a long edge of the first panel contacts a second row of panels.6. The flooring system of claim 4, wherein the interlocking joints areshaped to engage without additional vertical force beyond a weight of apanel.
 7. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the interlockingjoints are shaped to engage by sliding a long edge of a first panelalong another row of panels, until a short edge of the first panelcouples to a short edge of a second panel.
 8. The flooring system ofclaim 1, wherein the interlocking joints are shaped to permit up to 0.1millimeter of movement between floor panels that are joined at shortedges.
 9. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the flooring panelsindividually comprise an anti-slip layer beneath the core.
 10. Theflooring system of claim 1, further comprising at least one replacementflooring panel, comprising a core, interlocking joints at short edges,an extension along a first long edge to cover a tongue of a firstadjacent panel, and an undercut portion along a second long edge tocover a groove of a second adjacent panel.